Market Development Support Expert [26023]

Sopra Steria; East Hagbourne; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

HE Space, in collaboration with Sopra Steria, seeks a Market Development Support Expert to help shape governance and funding for In-Space Transportation programmes. The role focuses on policy oversight, business case evaluation, and engaging European and national actors to enable sustainable commercial models.

You will coordinate with ESA and industry partners, bringing sector knowledge, strategic insight, and international collaboration to a fast-moving space-market initiative.

Qualifications

• Masters degree in engineering or relevant discipline.
• 10+ years of working experience, with at least 3 years in a space field.
• More than 5 years of policy experience, ideally at a senior government level.
• Experience in developing, managing, and overseeing complex programmes and projects with public and private stakeholders with value exceeding >50 MEUR.
• Clear understanding of challenges related to Space commercialisation in Europe and ESA’s mission.
• Experience in commercialisation, technology transfer, application, and/or technology assessment and IP is an asset.
• Experience in management teams spread across multiple locations.
• Familiarity with ESA services is an asset.
• Experience in foresight studies/projects is an asset.
• Working with international partners is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Support the MDS Service organise the service so that it complements the work of the ESA programme.
• Support and advise the ESA Technical Responsible and the In-Space Transportation Lead on governance options for oversight and participation of key actors.
• Support the MDS service through assessing and evaluating business cases from industrial partners for the In-Space Transportation Programme.
• Assist in designing and developing innovative business models for the In-Space Transportation system.
• Engage with stakeholders at European and national levels to identify regulatory requirements for future markets.
• Carry out analyses to determine funding needs at various levels to deliver services commercially.
• Engage ESA experts to determine capital models and financing for the sector.
• Collaborate with ESA programme leads, project heads, procurement experts to seed demand for services.
• Identify external partners/consultancies/experts for further analysis as required.
• Identify other programmes or projects for high relevance in delivering a commercial operating model.

Skills

Policy experience

Programme management

Stakeholder engagement

Space industry knowledge

International collaboration

Education

Masters degree in engineering or relevant discipline

Job description

Market Development Support Expert [26023]

• Full-time

HE Space is a successful international space company, specialised in providing managed services and human resources to the international space sector for over 40 years. We hire space experts all over Europe across the whole spectrum of space-related activities, from engineering to science, software development, operations, marketing, finance and administration. Our employees contribute towards a wide range of groundbreaking space programmes including Galileo and Copernicus, ExoMars, Iris2, ESA BASS, ESA GSPT, LISA Pathfinder, Euclid, the Ariane and Vega launchers as well as the International Space Station. HE Space has joined forces with CS Group and Sopra Steria to lead the engineering and digital space market in Europe and to provide highly skilled consulting. We are passionate about people and invest in you to support the development of the European space industry.

• Support the MDS Service organise the service so that it complements the work of the ESA programme (in this case, in-Space Transportation), allowing the commercial operating model to be designed along technical derisking activities.
• Support and advise the ESA Technical Responsible and the In-Space Transportation Lead on the options available to ensure proper governance of this work, that enables adequate oversight and participation of key external and internal actors, allowing for the context within which ESA operates.
• Support the MDS service through assessing and evaluating business cases submitted by industrial partners/companies participating the In-Space Transportation Programme.
• Support the MDS service through assisting in the design and development of innovative business models that will be required for the success of the In-Space Transportation system as delivered by commercial and non-commercial partners.
• Support the MDS service through engaging with key stakeholders at European and national levels to identify regulatory requirements that will be essential in supporting future In-Space Transportation markets in Europe.
• Support the MDS service through carrying out required analyses to determine any funding requirements at a company, infrastructure, government, or any other appropriate level, deemed essential to deliver In-Space Transportation services on a commercially sustainable basis.
• Support the MDS service in working with experts within and without ESA to determine which capital models may be required and how they can be delivered, in order to ensure the provision of suitable public and private financing for the In-Space Transportation sector.
• Support the MDS service by engaging with various ESA programme leads and project heads, and procurement experts and specialists, to determine how ESA may leverage its role as a procuring agency to seed demand for future In-Space Transportation services.
• Support the MDS service in carrying out any analysis required to successfully deliver the areas under this work package, including supporting in the identification and management of suitable external partners/consultancies/experts who may carry out further additional analysis as required.
• Support the ESA Technical Responsible in identifying other programmes or projects for high relevance in the delivery of a commercial operating model for In-Space Transportation and onboarding them as part of the MDS effort.

• Masters degree in engineering or relevant doscipline;
• At least 10 years of working experience, with at least 3 years in a space field;
• Must have more than 5 years of policy experience, ideally at a senior government level;
• Must have experience of developing, managing, and overseeing complex programmes and projects with public and private stakeholders with value exceeding >50 MEUR;
• Must be able to demonstrate a clear understanding of the challenges related to Space commercialisation in Europe and the mission of the European Space Agency;
• Experience in relevant areas such as commercialisation, technology transfer, application, and/or technology assessment and intellectual property is a distinct advantage;
• Must have experience in management teams, spread across multiple locations
• Familiarity with the services provided by ESA is an asset;
• Experience in foresight studies/projects is an asset;
• Working with international partners is an asset.

This job is located in Harwell, UKbut also in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

Inclusive and committed employer, our company works every day to combat all forms of discrimination and promote a respectful working environment. That's why, committed to gender diversity and overall inclusivity, we encourage all applications and profiles.

Last apply date: 15/05/2026!

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